Traditionally, computer systems are designed to be able to continuously run a fairly worst-case power load. Design according to such a continuous worst-case power load has never been much of a problem, because traditionally the individual components have had modest operating powers and the computer systems have had large power budgets so that the systems could sustain the load fairly naturally.
As the operating power consumptions of the individual components of computer system creep upwards, the power budgets of the computer systems have become tighter. It is now becoming a challenge to design a computer system to run a continuous worst-case workload while pursuing other high performance goals, such as high computing power, compactness, quietness, better battery performance, etc. For example, portable computer systems, such as laptop computers, have a limited battery output capability; and thus a worst-case workload for a given battery output capability may limit the performance of the system because the worst case workload may rarely occur.
Currently, computer systems do not provide an adequate feedback that critical system thresholds are encountered, such as thresholds beyond which the system cannot operate. As a result, the process of designing a computer includes the addition of operating margins to ensure that the critical thresholds are not exceeded during normal system operation. For example, operating a computer system for a worst case workload requires large operational margins that may impact performance of the computer system. Typically, the setting of operating margins is based on a fixed threshold temperature of a die. The temperature of the die is monitored by a sensor placed on the die. When the temperature of the die reaches a specified threshold temperature, the die is automatically turned off, or slowed down.
Additionally, operating the computer system without adequate feedback may require a cooling system to operate at a maximum effort, thereby generating considerable noise if the cooling system includes conventional cooling fans. For example, the cooling system driven by the temperature of the die may continuously need to operate at the maximum effort to guarantee that the die temperature does not exceed a specified threshold temperature. Operating the computing system with the cooling system at the maximum effort results in more power consumption and may generate a lot of noise.